Jesus Christ Superstar – Cathedral Steps Festival in Erfurt
- Written by Portal Editor
Jesus Christ Superstar was the first major commercial success for composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice predating musicals such as “Evita”, “Cats”, and “The Phantom of the Opera”.
It also marked the beginning of a spectacular career; to this day, Andrew Lloyd Webber remains the only person to have won all four major awards in the American entertainment industry: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Webber met lyricist Tim Rice in the late 1960s, sparking an intense collaboration in which Rice penned the lyrics for various Webber works most notably the songs for “Jesus Christ Superstar”, which drew inspiration from the Gospels of the Bible.
The musical depicts the final seven days of Jesus of Nazareth. While loosely based on the Bible, the story focuses not on the Passion itself, but rather on themes such as revolution, oppression, greed, and of course "peace and love." This context is significant: at the time, the Romans ruled the regions of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, bringing with them a belief system featuring numerous deities many adopted from the Greeks and consequently viewing Jesus as a revolutionary and a terrorist.
A Musical Makes History – A Nod to Woodstock
Webber’s score clearly reflects the recent legacy of the world-famous Woodstock rock festival an event now considered a classic. An initial version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” was released on record in 1970 (predating the stage premiere), featuring Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan as Jesus, Murray Head as Judas, and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene. The double LP spent weeks on the British charts before the creators adapted the work for the stage and launched it on Broadway. The 1973 Hollywood film adaptation further helped establish the work despite some protests from Christian conservatives as one of the most successful musicals (or perhaps more accurately, rock operas) of the 20th century. However, the premiere itself had met with strong protests from Christian conservative groups, who objected primarily to the portrayal of Judas as a sympathetic figure. Nevertheless, the rock opera became a major success, with the original production running for 720 performances. It was banned only in South Africa and was even broadcast on Vatican Radio.
As there are three versions of this rock opera (featuring a full orchestra, a reduced orchestra, and a rock band only), the piece could be staged in both large and small theatres; in Germany, multiple productions were sometimes launched annually in various cities.
Performances in Germany – starting at Halle Münsterland
In Germany, the musical premiered in German on February 18, 1972, at the Halle Münsterland, with Reiner Schöne in the lead role. It premiered in Berlin on March 30, 1972. In 2000, a contemporary English stage version was recorded for DVD and video release. The cast featured Glenn Carter as Jesus, Jérôme Pradon as Judas, Rik Mayall as King Herod, and Tony Vincent as Simon.
In 2010, Canadian electroclash singer Peaches staged the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” as a one-woman show titled “Peaches Christ Superstar” at the Hebbel am Ufer theatre in Berlin. She performed and sang all the roles herself, accompanied only by Chilly Gonzales on the piano.
“Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Erfurt Cathedral Steps Festival
Erfurt is now hosting the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” performed outdoors on the steps leading up to the cathedral, a setting that leaves nothing to be desired, especially given the cathedral’s architecture in the background.
Furthermore, director Peter Lund a familiar face returned to a venue where he had previously worked. Regular theatre-goers in Erfurt remember him well, particularly for his rock opera “Jedermann”, for which he wrote the libretto and directed the production.
The Theater Erfurt production faced a unique challenge regarding the music and potential weather fluctuations: where could the orchestra and rock musicians with all their personnel and instruments be set up when the staircase was already crowded with performers and dancers?
The solution was technically fascinating: under the direction of Clemens Fieguth, the orchestra and musicians perform live at the Theater Erfurt (located 500 meters away), with the sound transmitted to the audience via fiber-optic cable.
Naturally, the production is teeming with allusions to the past and food for thought regarding the future a truly timeless story adapted for the modern age. It is well worth a visit, provided tickets are still available.
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